Midnight Thoughts

I sit on the corner of 4th and Washington in the International District, right in front of Caffe Vita, because right now there is no internet in the building. The landlord needs to replace the router, which means I gotta rough it out for a few days. I manage. Tonight I bartended and made some good tips, and tomorrow night is another night out in the University District with Wing-it Productions. Whew! What a crazy night. The last couple of days, my inbox has been full of e-mails regarding two shows: New Queer on the Block Comedy Show at Re-Bar on October 27th and BUMP 2011 on October 28th.

Preparing these two events have been the existence of my life the past couple of weeks and with a not-so-good birthday this last weekend, I am looking forward to these events to uplift my spirits. Do I hate my friends for not coming out? Well, no - because I know how busy my friends in Seattle are and I respect the amount of time they put into this community. Did it suck only having one friend arrive to my birthday dinner and no one to drink with my on my birthday on the hill. Yeah, but not enough milk was spilled for me to drop a tear.

I've also been super busy preparing interview questions for the new cast of RuPaul's Drag Race: Season Four and also prepping my arrangements in New York City when I go there in January. All this is keeping me so busy that I miss nights like tonight. Sitting on a corner and in-taking the sounds of the train, rushing cop cars with their sirens blasting in my ear - wandering if it's me there looking for, just because I'm sitting in front of a coffee shop that is closed, stealing their internet because my landlord can't pay her internet bill. Geesh!

The thoughts in my head keep running in and out. Then the homeless walks on by with their bags and canes and that reminds me to be thankful for what I do have. My head starts to spin a bit and that's an indicator that I need to go home, eat some food and pass out to start another day in the morning.

#lifeinseattlewithoutoccupyseattle

Morning, Sunshine

This morning I woke up to bright sunshine weather and a clear throat and non-congested chest. I feel great! And with the hit of the brick across my face, I realize there is much work to get done for my comedy show at the end of the month! Now is the time for marketing this event to get as many people to Re-Bar as possible. Gotta make a good impression. Now I'm off to clean a hotel and then go see a friends' theater performance tonight at theater schmeater. xoxo

Change of Plans, Going with the Wind

Sometimes life gives you the downers, but at the same time, it gives you the uppers. A really great opportunity has come up that is going to give me a chance to live in New York City for three months and I'm going to jump on the bandwagon for this opportunity. My dear friend, Maridee, has offered to sublet her cheap ($450 a month in harlem) apartment for January through March. This is such an incredible offer and I'd be insane not to take it.

This is what I would like to do while in New York City:

-work as a bartender to make money and improve my talents and skills as a bartender.

-volunteer/intern at a theater company as an artistic direction intern.

-explore the city and write a play to produce/direct.

-hang with my drag superstars: manila luzon, sahara davenport, mimi imfurst, and many others that I'm sure to hang with during my time there.

-really see the boys of A-List of New York and their crazy antics to write about.

Wether I stay past the three months of find my way to make a liveable income to survive in New York, this will be a great opportunity to fullfil a dream of mine and that is to live in New York City. Life is a stage and we are all merely players - I'm here telling my story for the world to live around me.

PRESS RELEASE: New Queer on the Block Comedy Show at Re-Bar

October 12^th, 2011 - Seattle, Washington - Brick Underground Theater Project presents “New Queer on the Block Comedy Show at Re-Bar” featuring Dion Vox, Mark “Mom” Finley, DJ LA Kendall, DJ Tony Burns and Brian Peterson. Finley and Peterson will be supplying some fierce and fresh standup comedy – Mark “Mom” Finley will be hosting the entire evening at Re-Bar. Dion Vox is scheduled to perform an hour show and the events disc jockey’s DJ LA Kendall and DJ Tony Burns will spin together until closing time for sweat and pleasure to ensue on the dance floor. The doors open at 9pm on Thursday, October 27^th, 2011.

Please note: This event is intended primarily to honor the celebrations of the 29^th Birthday of Brian Peterson – but the producer would like to point out to all media that this is still s show and the show will go on.

About Dion Vox

Dion Vox was born in Seattle's OK Hotel Cafe and Nightclub, where she began her stage career by singing at mic check. Scobra played and produced music all over the place before settling in Los Angeles where, after a stint as a Music Director on the Imax Film; “Quantum Quest” starring Samuel L. Jackson and Sarah Michelle Geller, he found himself producing in the LA underground hip hop scene. He also teamed up with Wells Jones (Sun Ra) and Cordell Pool to produce a series of innovative records under the name "Kemetic Sound System". In 2005 Produced several tracks for the now legendary Candy's 22 with Existereo, Barfly, Mickey Avalon, and Andre Legacy. In 2007 Scobra and Dion met in LA and began writing, recording, and performing music together under the name Ramona The Band. Since then, RTB has collaborated with the likes of the Wu-Tang Clan Killa Beez: Christ bearer, Dexter Wiggle & Monk as well as Def Poets: Pat's Justice, Redstorm, and Mark Gonzales.

Event Cover & Raffle Tickets

Admissions to this event is $5 and $3 after midnight. There is also a raffle at the front door to win two VIP tickets to Gay City’s BUMP Halloween Party at the Showbox at the Market the following night (October 28^th, 2011). Raffle tickets will be sold for $3 each, or 2 for $5.

DJ Sets by: DJ Kendall and DJ Tony Burns; Live Performances by: Brian Peterson and Ramona the Band; Photography Installation Slideshow by: Kymberlee della Luce

For press inquiries, contact:

Brian Peterson

brian.petersonpdx@gmail.com

206-291-2127 [not for publication]

: Seasoned Fries

I sit in my booth waiting for my fries to arrive with the extra ranch - because that's how I like them at Hurricane Cafe. Not just any fries, but their famous seasoned criss-cross fries and they are delicious with some ranch. Listening and watching the latest episode of "1 Girl, 5 Gays", except it's the lesbian sequence and I want my boys back! Thank goodness that by weeks' end, the boys will be back with more fierceness one an entire army. My birthday is four and a half days away, which makes me feel like this plate of seasoned fries with ranch: greasy, oily and ready for the dive!

In browsing through my Facebook news feed, I realize that it now officially National Coming Out Day (click link to visit the Human Resources Center's website to see how you can make a difference). Which means I have been out of the closet for 14 years and counting. Wow!!! That's quite a number for such a significant monumental occasion.

For anyone still in the closet - COME OUT AND CELEBRATE, BITCHES!!!

Interesting update: I came to the hurricane with $10 to get coffee and fries. I paid my tab and never got any change back from the waitress. I know the hospitality industry - I am a bartender - and tips are what we live on, but seriously lady! You still need to follow through with your job and give out change back to the customer. Then the tip happens! #thingsthatshockmeathurricanecafe

Event Announcement: New Queer on the Block Comedy Show at Re-Bar

It’s with great pleasure to announce the “New Queer on the Block: An Avant-Garde Standup Comedy Show”. Featuring Mark “Mom” Finley, Brian Peterson, Ramona the Band, DJ LA Kendall and DJ Tony Burns. Brian Peterson will be performing a 30-min standup routine, Ramona the Band will be performing an hour set for pure entertainment, followed by dancing with local Seattle disc-jockey’s DJ LA Kendal and DJ Tony Burns.

Hosted by Mark "Mom" Finley

Thursday, October 27th, 2011
@ Re-Bar (114 Howell Street, Seattle, WA 98122)
$5 Cover!

To help pay for the space and some of the artists involved!!!
Awesome Entertainment! Stiff drinks! The Way It’s Suppose to Be!
21 + W/ID
9PM – 2AM

Photography Installation by: Kymberlee della Luce

See you at the show, my peeps!

The Dawn Awakens

I woke up this morning and it hit me, like an epiphany works for a zombie during an apocalypse. Teaching theater to at-risk and homeless Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender-Queer youth is appealing to me as it entices me, all at the same time. What better place to dive in and spread my theater arts knowledge than San Francisco. That's not the only reason that I'm heading to the bay area. As a theater artist, this part of the country is booming with theater opportunities left and right - much bigger than Portland and Seattle. Plus, the gay and lesbian community is one of the largest in the country - if not the world. I just need to figure out where this will take place and how to fund it. I'm seriously thinking of starting a kickstarter campaign to reach a comfortable goal of funds to properly make this a reality.

But I don't need to justify my reasoning about my big move.

I've heard back from a couple of hostels in San Francisco - but one promising one is the Adelaide Hostel which sits really close to the theater district, which would be amazing!!! We'll see what happens with this lead. Still - I hold my head up high with the shades on my face and drinking my shot in the dark and eat my blueberry muffin. This afternoon I'm relaxing for a bit before I head out to the University District to bartend at Wing-it Productions. It's going to be a long week, leading up to my big birthday! Super excited!!!

Here's a morning breakfast of champions: shot in the dark (espresso drink) and a big and delicious blueberry muffin at Bedlam Coffee in Belltown.

Treat yourself today!

Bartending Diaries

When you bartend in the theater industry, crowds and audiences usually take a few shows in one night to warm up to the bar. This is show number one and I've only made four drinks. Intermission should prove to increase the bar sales. Then there are two more shows to make drinks.

The night is still young!

Please note: no improvisers were harmed in the making of this post.

Daily Photo #2: Waiting

Sitting outside the theater and waiting for my house manager to show up so I can start setting up the bar. It was a beautiful day out today which my soul and mind desperately needed to function and it was a great start of the weekend. This gave me some time work on some party planning for my event at Re-Bar on the 27th!

It's my birthday month, bitches! Next Saturday I turn the big 29!

Let the journey begin already!!!

A brief San Francisco history, Journey is becoming a reality

I'm doing a little more research today about the greater city and county of San Francisco and what I'm reading is astounding - the history of this city is extroidinaire and enriching, which dates back to 3000 BC. Did you know that before the American-Mexican War in 1846 San Francisco was named Yerba Buena and belonged to the country of Mexico. Fascinating! San Francisco has become best know for sourdough bread, the gold rush years, Chinatown, the streetcar trolley and many other facets that makes this city such a great experience and I'm about to embark down to this amazing gem to experience life and create my own story.

A little know fact and connection to this city for me - my mother was born and raised in San Francisco. I remember the family vacation we took to the bay area. It was the summer before I entered the 5th grade and it was such a great trip with my parents, brother and sister. The car ride down there took almost an entire 24 hours, but I remember waking up at three o'clock in the morning the our van rental to driving across the Golden Gate Bridge. The lights beaming from the bridge still resonates with me as a visual of this glorious city.

My mother has horrible memories of this city - but mainly because her father treated her and the rest of the family with disrespect, abuse and neglect. But that's all in the past!

Earlier this year, an astrology psycic told me that I'd be making a big move in 2011 that would change my life in a direction with good fortune, prosperity and a heathy life. I suppose this is the move that he is referring to. I'm feeling great about this move and I can't wait for the journey to begin.